Next steps before TV Contract...

[Marty Jackson]

I was hoping that we would have a contract sooner than later, but I think there are several issues that the BE/Aresco need to solve such that the TV revenue can be maximized...

First, the bowl access needs to be solved. As it stands now, the BE has no guaranteed access which puts them in the same boat as the other conferences without a contract bowl. Although the 7th bowl would lump us in with the other conferences, everyone agrees that 7 out of 10 years should go to the Big East. In some years, the BE could have 2 teams in post season play... At this point, that's a win for this conference.

With the bowl access secured, they may be able to convince the likes of BYU, , and one other that the time is either now or never.

With the conference lined up, bowl access secured, they can get the TV contract done. Adding BYU alone would give the western region some added heft to Boise. It would also make for two very evenly matched divisions based on east/west...

Hopefully we see some movement on one of these fronts and I'm not sure the order, but I don't see the TV contract getting done until we have all the teams lined up. And I don't see how we get the additional teams we want and need without dangling the bowl access and potential TV revenue in front of them.

 

[junglehusky]

I'm a bit worried we aren't hearing any leaks. I checked the idaho statesman and Brian Murphy didn't have any tidbits, and his latest tweet was a Brett McMurphy retweet.

 

[noeynox]

Only way the big east gets byu/air force if they can show those schools promising dollar figures on hat were promised to them by one of the networks with those teams in the league. The fact that the big east has been dubbed a have not by the "big 5" is disconcerting at this moment.

 

[John Greene]

At the Bama game Saturday I met the son of a former business associate. He is an advertising analyst for Under Armour. One of the things networks do when they are trying to put together the finances on a contract negotation is feel out potential sponsors. He has been asked to do some work on a split BE contract. Would not be specific but I got the impression it was an ESPN/NBC split as some here have speculated. He said that a major stumbleing block to the arrangement is how to split the product between the parties. Since all of the schools are in for both FB and BB the process of dividing the matchups between the interested parties is more complex than usual. No one really wants to put up money for some of the potential matchups involving the weaker teams in each sport.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Only way the big east gets byu/air force if they can show those schools promising dollar figures on hat were promised to them by one of the networks with those teams in the league. The fact that the big east has been dubbed a have not by the "big 5" is disconcerting at this moment.

that's why the BE needs to address their bowl alignment... If they can secure a spot, even if it's shared with the other 5, that's a win... There should be very few year when the BE doesn't earn that spot, and in some years, they could have two teams in the mix.
That BYU is outside looking in right now could be enough for them to re-consider.

 

[junglehusky]

We will have to see how the selection committee works, but it would seem for Boise that they'll get a better shot at the the bowl slot and a potential playoff spot with a NNBE schedule than MWC or whatever. BYU might see how their scheduling will be impacted, or just wait to see if a Big12 spot is available later. Maybe they don't care as much about a potential playoff bid if their network brings in a steady flow of cash? I'm speculating of course.

 

[John Greene]

Just realized the second to last sentence in my prior post makes no sense. It should say that since all of the schools are NOT in for bothFB and BB it is more complicated.